The Department of Statistics a full-service academic department teaching a wide range of graduate classes in Statistics and offers MS and PhD degrees in Statistics. Faculty in the Department are involved in research, teaching, and statistical consulting for the entire university. Because of its activities, the collaborative work with other disciplines gives graduate students a wide range of opportunities to work with individuals in these disciplines and to learn practical applications of statistical principles from direct experience. In addition, Ph.D. students have the opportunity to double majors in statistics and a number of other disciplines.
The University has general graduate degree requirements for all degrees. These general requirements may be found in the Graduate Studies Catalog from the UNL Office of Graduate Studies and in the list of “Steps to Degree Completion”. Specific details for the graduate programs from the Department of Statistics are described here.
M.S. in Statistics Ph.D. in Statistics Joint Ph.D. Programs M.S./Ph.D. Minors in Statistics
Application Requirements
Departmental Requirements
- Coursework
- Prerequisite Coursework Form
- Three semesters of calculus up through multivariable calculus with grades of B or higher
- One semester of matrix (linear) algebra with a grade of B or higher
- One semester of a statistics course with a grade of B or higher
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose explaining why you want to obtain a MS and/or PhD in statistics
GRE General Test score- Starting Academic Year 2025-2026 the GRE is not required for admission.
- Minimum English Proficiency
NOTE: When sending TOEFL scores, our institution code is 6877 and a department code is not needed.
Frequently Asked QuestionsStandard Admission Requirements
Office of Graduate Studies
- Application for Admission with $50 non-refundable application fee.
Transcripts (unofficial): Uploaded as part of application form.
If International: Uploads must include all college- or university-level transcripts or mark sheets (records of courses and marks earned), with certificates, diplomas, and degrees plus certified English translations.
After admission: Official documents are required from all students who are admitted and enroll. Photocopies of certified records are not acceptable. International students enrolled in other U.S. institutions may have certified copies of all foreign records sent directly to the Office of Graduate Studies by their current school’s registrar office.
- If applicant’s native language is not English, verification of English proficiency is required.
- If applicant is not a US citizen and expects an F or J visa: financial information.
- Applicants must also fulfill any additional requirements the department specifies at the time of application.
Deadlines
January 15th to be given full consideration for assistantship support for Fall admission.
May 31st for Fall admission.
Assistantships
Teaching Assistantships
Teaching assistants perform a variety of duties, including teaching introductory courses, supervising lab sections, and grading. Teaching assistants are either assigned their own course section or work closely with a faculty member or graduate student mentor.
Research Assistantships
A research assistant will do statistical consulting, data analysis, programming, and theoretical research in partnership with a faculty member in Statistics. Research assistantships are typically grant-funded, awarded on a year-to-year basis, and rarely awarded to applicants prior to being here for at least one semester.
International students applying for teaching assistantships
International students applying for teaching assistantships need to present evidence of excellent communications skills with their application. This includes letters of recommendation attesting to these skills and high TOEFL/IELTS test scores (at least 100 on TOEFL iBT, 600 on TOEFL PBT, or 7 on IELTS). All international teaching assistants need to also take a short course and an exam given by the Institute for International Teaching Assistants (ITA) late in the summer prior to the fall semester. This course is offered by the Office of Graduate Studies in cooperation with Programs in English as a Second Language (PIESL) faculty.
Students at UNL are usually supported through either a Teaching Assistantship or a Research Assistantship. Assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis annually, and may be renewed with satisfactory performance.